25 Aug 45.
Dear René,
At long last, here I am with pen and paper quietly writing to you. I’m not exactly tucked away in a corner of God’s earth, as I would like to be, possibly away on a grassy bank beneath a shady hedge, as I can see through the open window stretching towards the foot of the distant hills: I am, instead, writing in our study room in barracks, wooden chairs and tables, very bare. However it’s fairly quiet, Saturday evening, most chaps either gone to pictures or a dance held up at the university, every Saturday, the usual ‘hop’ where fellows scramble to dance with what ATS girls are either on the course, or a mêlée of gushing Italian girls – ‘bright young things’ I heard an officer once describe them as. There’s only one other occupant in the room, conscientiously studying a subject. ‘That’s the rub’ (Shakespeare) if one wishes to do well it means occupying the spare hours we have (not many) for private study, instead of gallivanting off somewhere. That’s why I’ve not been writing so often here, to you, and hope you’ll understand the diminished mail, though you should have received three since I arrived, an air-mail written yesterday.
And now perhaps, after those few opening lines, I can settle down to the more serious business of answering your two delightful letters of this week. They really are beautiful letters, and I think, even if you aren’t ‘doing’ an English course, you have a lovely way of expression, so more’s the credit due to you – busy little conductress!!
I don’t know where to start, (I could almost begin that book with replies to all you have said) but will do my best, firstly though, I admire your description of Thorny Hill, that’s definitely worth a visit, and I am very interested too, in the trips you make, you seem very capable of getting about at your job, one which, I must say, I don’t envy you at all, wouldn’t like taking fares in a crowded bus, tho’ I’d enjoy the country runs very much.
Well, first letter first,
Aug 13,
Sorry about overtime, hardly fair, and tough on girls especially, or women! Did I thank you for the picture? Glad you re-discovered it, was it on the handlebars? Trust you obtain a good dress, sorry the coupons are so tight, was reading in ‘Union Jack’ that Stafford Cripps Minister of Production (?) isn’t at all popular with Britain’s women.
Was out for an hour today shop hunting, looking for photos of Perugia, looked in several shoe shops, they are as dear, or dearer than at home, and far inferior. The cheapest leather shoes were about 2500 lire, £6-0-5! Everything is very expensive, perhaps more plentiful, but it’s utility against overpricing.
What do you read René? As you say you like reading?
When are your holidays? The rest of them? Wouldn’t it be fun if I had ‘liap’ at the same time? That’s perhaps simple well wishing, don’t even know if I shall get drawn. The news was disappointing today, only ‘23s’ this year, from ‘home’ papers we had gleamed at least ‘26s’ by Christmas, it’s bad propaganda to put across the folks at home.
As a diversion, – have you heard about ‘Rome Sweet Rome’ published by ‘Manchester Guardian’ from this lady correspondent in Rome? There’s a veritable verbal battle raging in our papers at present between servicemen here about the lady’s impressions. She wrote that ‘The British tommy would miss this life of luxury, of waiters, hotels, band & ice cream’ etc etc: what an uproar she created!
The railways are not the least of Britain’s problems, what do you think of the A-bomb? Terrible, but it’s concentrated destruction, and shows more strikingly how wrong war is in any way.
Yes, it’s far better to take things quietly, life is most beautiful in quietness, I think, anyhow VJ day was one of thankfulness I think, deep gratitude.
We’ll both have lessons together, for I’ve not danced for ages, about three since leaving home, and hardly any before the war, not having a partner and consequently little enthusiasm, I’d hardly jitterbug, tho’ it must relieve one very much to become so involved in “letting off steam”, oh yes, have seen it on films.
Henry V is a very good show I hear, hope you enjoyed it, our English masters criticised it rather severely, said it wasn’t properly represented, the stage at that time. Do you like drama, theatre plays?
No, not American sisters, just plain, very ordinary English sisters, some alright, and some who think they are ‘it’, and ‘make up’ to officers! Silly I think.
Yes, sickness is indeed terrible, only those who suffer seem to know, which makes the necessity for kindness even greater.
Oh no! You wouldn’t really write to Harry would you? I shouldn’t sleep at all then.
‘Nights’ were very tedious, I’m feeling tons better, away from cookhouses.
Well, thanks for the compliment about Cary Grant, must try to get one with a smile, ‘a West Country smile’ as my letter said!
Now letter no. 2. Aug 15th
We are all much happier now that the war is really over, should have loved to have strolled around Bournemouth with you and watched the celebrations, the coloured fountain, and waterfall, sounds interesting.
Must await return to unit to see about my leave, they told me I was due for another course on return: ‘Moral leadership’, but will give you the ‘guff’ (army word) on return. At most it seems as though there will be still a considerable number of letters to write yet René, before demob.
So the mystery name is solved at last! I like Irené very much, strange I hadn’t thought of that earlier, but the accent had me puzzled, but I think I’ll call you “Brown eyes”.
Have never been called ‘Riccy’, perhaps I’d grow to like it. My horrible nickname is “Busty’, (ugh!). That’s also from a film star. Someone, a bright office clerk tagged me once and it stuck, I’ve grown accustomed to it, everyone at the unit uses it, but I prefer Eric, or your pet version best. Coming from leave it sounded very strange at first, obviously no-one calls me that at home, it’s purely nominal as, like yourself I am rather slim myself. I used to weigh 164lbs, but being abroad am about 156 now, 5-11½, blue eyes, fair hair, not a tanned complexion (that’s worn off now), rather pale in fact, for your information, thanks, for your description too, have now only to meet you in person, soon I hope.
The mail seems to be coming through alright now: yours arrived yesterday (15th) 24th, nine days, four days from the unit. Better when they come direct, would suggest you stop writing direct to me here after next weekend 1st Sept; and write to 95th again, that will prevent delay. No, air-mail and ordinary letters both come by air so just write ordinary letters please.
Your company don’t seem very considerate about paying for extra hours, rotten spirit that, I see you prefer the single deckers, no wonder.
So you relished the food as per menu! Perhaps with persuasion, you might (?) find me cooking your dinner, but on the condition I don’t get blamed for using all the rations, I am very ‘heavy handed’ and use tons of stuff.
A catering officer prescribes the menu; we growl and do the work. Night duty ends at six am, when the early shift begins. Italians wash up, and do the dirty work, fortunately for us. The army employs thousands of them, for office work (interpretation) cleaning etc.
Didn’t you feel rather ‘out of things’ ie. Rather lonely, on VJ night? But you are not a ‘noisy’ type are you? Did the company give you a holiday? Did you see the fountain? And waterfall?
Oh yes, the mayor’s letter was quite a surprise, the first I knew was Dad’s letter saying how one night going home by bus his eye alighted on the middle page, mother was very ill in hospital at the time and was very excited, she always thought that I would get compassionate leave and always expected to see me, in fact the vicar’s wife told her near the end that I was on my way and so she passed away in that thought, the following day.
Well now, about this ‘ere fishing! Don’t know what Dad’s been spinning to you, he loves to spin tales, but it really was funny: -
We went for a swim as usual. The spot being at the pier’s end, where the rocks shelve steeply into the water, the sea is very deep there. Suddenly, just when we are prepared to dive in, a loud explosion shakes the concrete under our feet. The direction of the explosion obstructs the view so we cannot tell what is happening. Running around the lighthouse we see a naval launch twenty yards out, sailors leaning over the gunwale, raking the sea. All about are fish, dozens, of stunned, floating fish, with muddy bubbles surrounding. The performance is repeated, only now the launch is on ‘our’ side of the promenade. Diving in, we swim out and like dogs, only not in our mouths, we retrieve the fish. When about to scramble ashore, ‘Jock’ who has a large specimen in his arm, is being confronted by an eager Italian who offers him 500 lire (1-5-0) for his catch, not being an exception to the Scotch case, jock clinches the bargain there and then. It’s the first sale in water he has ever made in his life, with true comradeship ‘Jock’ shares the money and we have 100 apiece.
This was the only sale we made, being so large a fish. The others, and there were dozens, we gave away to the small crowd by this time gathered inquisitively around, did you ever know an Italian who wasn’t either hungry or curious? The whole episode was very exciting by the unusualness of it, yet the canoe in which I took an Italian soldier out to retrieve the farther ones, nearly capsized, I can still picture his look of dismay, and relief as we settled again.
There you are René, all for you, not very good, but well meant anyway. As an aftermath or anti climax, – following day “Fishing by means of depth charges is strictly forbidden”! And now the Italians talk of the ‘wonder’ catch one afternoon, as they sit sighing at their nets, waiting for the solitary bite!
Grammar not very good, tenses a little confused, please excuse me.
I’m going to be very busy when I do come home, writing, telling tales (by the way the above is authentic) visiting friends, seeing you, shan’t have much time ‘off’ shall I?
Haven’t said anything about the course, it’s all study, mostly lectures, taking notes, discussions etc: one interesting feature is ‘Anniversary’ every morning at 9 o’clock, great men’s lives on their anniversary dates is given in a talk for 10 mins. I’ve made notes about it all so will be able to show you and explain in detail.
There are about twenty in the English class (syndicates they’re called), all men, officers, sergeants, all mixed, and one ATS. We have two instructors and they cover a great deal. We work to a timetable, and there are numerous aspects of literature, I’ve a whole pile of notes and texts.
My guard was alright, as guards go, 2-4 this morning, I tried to count all the sounds I heard, cocks crowing, dogs barking, wind creaking wires & doors, someone snoring, a horse & cart far away, a church bell, crickets and that’s about all. I yawned all day! Glad we have the weekend free. Tomorrow there’s a church tour so shan’t really have much time to laze about doing nothing.
I do hope you are keeping well and cheerful, how’s Auntie?
Don’t take any notice of my rude remarks about your letters, will you René? Promise?
I’m looking forward to your photo, had it done yet? I’m waiting patiently, like a good boy.
I’ll write again about Wednesday, I know I shall be very busy early next week with my own talk to prepare for Tuesday.
Look after yourself
Keep cheerful,
Looking forward to your letters very much indeed, ‘Brown eyes’
affectionately, Eric.
Love and best wishes to Auntie.
“Riccy”!
Hope you like the snaps, different from Tuckton and Durley?
Thought the cutting from ‘Union Jack’ would interest you.
